American Civil War Gunpowder Tea

Elmwood Inn was already 20-years-old when 75,000 troops descended on the village of Perryville, Kentucky in October 1862. Gunpowder green tea would have been the tea of choice for the fortunate soldier who could secure a bit for his knapsack. Merchant John Burton, Elmwood's first owner, stocked this Chinese tea in his general store but hid it along with other valuables as the invading armies scavenged their way across the region.

You'll find our commemorative CIVIL WAR tea tins in the National Park gift shops at Gettysburg National Park, Manassas, and other historic venues.

Contrary to oft-told stories amongst both the Civil War and American Revolution Reenactors, brick tea was not found in the soldier's kits during either conflict. Chinese brick tea was transported out of Northern China and into Mongolia, Tibet, and Russia. The East India Company imported loose tea.

Gunpowder green tea was originally from China. By 1890, 40% of the green tea in America came from Japan.

Read more about the history of tea in A Social History of Tea by Jane Pettigrew and (Elmwood owner) Bruce Richardson.